This invention concerns an automated sample analysis system.
The present system will be described in relation to biological material specifically sugarcane but those skilled in the art would appreciate that timber forage, animal products, food products generally including raw and processed materials are handled by such systems. The system may be modified to handle plastics, rubber and mineral products. The analysis utilises a near infra red (NIR) spectometer but ultrasound, microwave, nuclear irradiation and capacitative testing devices are described in the literature. It is useful if the system is capable of receiving input from control or recognition devices and controlling other devices as part of its place in a production or information chain.
It is customary for a growers"" payment to depend on the extractable sugar. The grower can be penalised or rewarded of the factors such as excess fibre and impurities.
Mills commonly provide laboratories adjacent the growers"" truck entry to the Mill where samples are prepared manually by appropriate grinding. Wet chemistry processes follow and a result is generated in 4-8 hours. Automating such a process presents a variety of problems, typically the creation of a physical form which can be read by the testing device. A sample must be representative of the tissue extract. It must be presented suitably for a reading to emerge. The current sample must not be contaminated by the previous sample. The sample must be disposed of so that a new reading is obtainable. The procedure must offer precision in reading and require minimal human supervision. Preferably the apparatus should be automated as by logic circuit or micro processor control.
WO 93/15470 describes a system suitable for monitoring coal input to electricity generating stations. A motor driven, endless conveyor drives multiple coal samples beneath a linear array of sensors. It stops and starts to give each sensor in turn exposure to the sample. Infrared, microwave and gamma ray radiation are utilised to give information about the ratio of Cxe2x80x94H to Oxe2x80x94H bonds; free moisture and S/H/O ratios. A mathematical matrix is generated and thereafter coefficients are calculated.
Biological materials present additional problems. A sample carrying fruit juice, blood or other adhesive liquid tends to contaminate subsequent samples.
The apparatus aspect of this invention provides apparatus for radiation analysis of finely divided test material comprising a radiation sensor and means capable of conveying the sample past the sensor at a controlled presentation height and surface condition. Preferably the apparatus performs spectrographic analysis of samples of finely divided biological material and comprises a spectrographic sensor and means capable of conveying the sample past the sensors such that the surface of the sample remains at a predetermined reading distance from the sensor. Usually the apparatus utilises predetermined factors. For some materials adjustment may be necessary and therefore control is useful.